Man Utd wanted to sign Guardiola - agent
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Man Utd wanted to sign Guardiola - agent
Josep Guardiola’s agent has revealed that Manchester United missed out on the Barcelona midfielder in 2001.
The highly rated midfielder was inches away from moving to Old Trafford but he finally changed his mind, according to his representative.
Josep Maria Orobitg has also revealed that Tottenham and Arsenal enquired about the Spaniard once he announced his intention to leave Camp Nou.
“Ten months before his contract was due to expire, he told me that he would not extend his stay in Barcelona,” Orobitg told sport.es.
The agent has claimed that Sir Alex Ferguson’s son got in touch with him in October 2000 to tell him about The Red Devils’ interest in the Spaniard.
“Pep used to like United for their greatness and organisation but he insisted that he would only listen [to offers] and would not seal anything before making [chairman] Joan Gaspart aware of it first.”
Orobitg has confessed that his client was due to have a secret meeting with United in Seville, but he cancelled it.
“Pep was not sure,” he added.
Guardiola announced during a press conference that he would leave Barca once his contract had expired in June 2001, and his agent has claimed that 30 minutes after this declaration, Spurs and The Gunners called him.
“The first phone call was from Inter’s [Massimo] Moratti, then Milan called, Tottenham and Arsenal,” Orobitg said.
Guardiola finally joined Brescia, but was suspended for doping.
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ancient story la... maybe, can put it together with the Ronaldino story..